Did We See Anderson Silva Fight for the Last Time on Saturday?

Throughout his fifteen-year mixed martial arts career, former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has dazzled fans with spectacular finishes. Nine years after making his UFC debut, we may have seen the greatest fighter of all time fight for the last time.

Silva won sixteen consecutive fights inside the octagon, a record that set the bar high for future generations of fighters. He holds the record for most consecutive title defenses with ten, the most finishes in title fights, the most consecutive title defenses and the most finishes in the promotion’s history.

His resume is filled with record-setting and record-breaking accomplishments, but the legendary Anderson Silva’s win over Nick Diaz in the UFC 183 main event on Saturday may have been his final victory as a professional fighter — his swan song.

“I go back to my family now,” Silva said immediately following the fight about what his future holds. “My kids, Kalyl says that, ‘no more. Please stop. Stop dad.’ And I go back to my home and take my kids. And I don’t know, maybe I’m back. I don’t know.”

Silva clarified and expanded on his in-octagon comments during the event’s post-fight press conference.

“I need to talk to my family. I love my job. This is me. I love to fight, but I need to talk to my family because this is more important in my life now,” said Silva when asked if the win over Diaz was his last fight.

During the UFC 183 Post Show on Fox Sports 1 Silva was asked point-blank if Saturday was his last fight. “I don’t know. Maybe. I don’t know. I’ll talk to my family first,” he said.

If the Silva’s fighting career did end at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, the Brazilian is okay with that.

“Yeah. Absolutely,” Silva answered when questioned if he’s content with his legacy if he never competed again. “But I go talk to my family. I need to talk to my family because I love my job. I love the UFC.”

Silva thanked God, the fans in attendance, his family and his ‘real’ friends after the fight. And it sure felt like a farewell.